Normalcy, Never Again

It it that time of year; the one time that I voluntarily sign up for breakfast meetings with glee. I am a "night person". But, as long as I have been Black in Corporate America, I get up early to acknowledge and honor the good doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.; to observe his ideals at breakfasts all over the city spanning the 2nd and 3rd weeks of January.

It is a time to catch up with long time acquaintances, friends in this work of financial social justice; within the framework of our roles as Black corporate executives. Between the 4-5 combined breakfast / events that I will attend, I will have the delightful opportunity to hug the necks, kiss the cheeks of other Black bankers with whom I've run in the same circles for twenty to forty years. Those that have climbed their way to the top of their game in Corporate America; the ones still keeping me company; not yet having veered off to consult or build their own businesses. Our tribe though, is shrinking.

Last week at the 52nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Brotherhood Breakfast, I saw many like me, hoping to run into each other. We've had sightings this past couple of years, but we are aging. The pandemic robbed us of precious years, the last of "strength" in numbers. Numbers in sponsored hotel banquet halls; numbers in corporate halls; the conference rooms in which we sit; elevators in which we ride. Numbers in our communities, networking our philanthropies. We derive energy from each other; a shared knowledge that there is something common within our DNA and our motivations for showing up. These shared threads give us a certain ease of acceptance; if even only at a small level. Validation that we count and that we matter; not just our numbers, but our thoughts and ideas. There is a brief sense of "normalcy" at these shared events.

Black numbers in traditional banking has been shrinking. The formerly National Association of Urban Bankers; now Urban Financial Services Corp. established 1974, for more than thirty years recruited, granted scholarships, networked and sponsored Black college students for careers in financial services through 37 chapters made up of Black bankers. Bank consolidations and mergers which come with a cutting of expenses, lent to a decrease in funding and the main source of the feeder pool of Black bankers went away. The shrinking representation of Blacks inside of banks; and the almost complete decimation of Black banks has had a profound impact on our community; contributing to the increased wealth gap.

Dr. Andrew Young, spokesperson for Operation HOPE, Inc. in a keynote to the NAUB, said that one of the biggest regrets he and Dr. King had was in not establishing an economic base prior to launching the movement nationally. Lacking an economic base, creates dependency on those that created the economic disadvantage. Representation at every level of society is necessary, including banking and financial services, in order to achieve equity at any level of society.

There will be little understanding, empathy, or advocacy for the needs of Black communities by financial service companies without Black bankers' knowledge, insights and sweat equity. Who besides Black bankers are living in; and going into communities to disseminate knowledge and guidance?

So, I was happy to be at breakfast with many of my peers; Black, but also Brown, Asian, White, LGBTAQ+; still in place, still fighting the good battle. Dr. Shirley N. Weber, CA Secretary of State was discussing the current state of affairs as it relates to voting legislation; a topic in 1963; and making headlines. That dream is still in the works.

The iconic dream speech, was not celebrated until his death 4 years later when the press needed soundbites; and the public needed meaning for his death. The phrase "I have a dream" was one that could be fed to the angry masses of people along with the beautiful images of the dream; something to still strive for.

Other soundbites have not been celebrated; not written on t-shirts or amplified by the media.

It was determined by media and education, in years to come, that "I have a dream" is an appropriate phrase; a harmonious sound bite for Black History Month as opposed to "We've come to cash a check".

However, the speech "Normalcy, Never Again", not "I Have a Dream" began with an indictment of America; and the financial references came early on.

"But 100 years later...the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note...Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds. But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt...

We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time ...to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism".

The energy on that Wednesday he was to speak, was intense; electrifying. The largest demonstration in American history was being watched by the masses of people; not just Black and White. America showed up, in person, or virtually; each with their own expectations of what could happen in this uniquely and historically significant backdrop.

250,000 people were jammed into the National Mall demanding "jobs and freedom," including passage of a civil rights bill. Thousands of combat troops were ready in case of trouble; and many businesses were closed. Martial-law orders for President Kennedy' signature had been drawn up...

I assume the authorities had been leaked an advance copy of the speech. I imagine the title ~ "Normalcy, Never Again" ~ did not sound cheery. And I suspect that that content of that speech was disturbing to the status quo. But Dr. King was a master at oration.

Dr. King spoke to the Blacks. They re-lived his words with feelings of sadness, humiliation and anger.

"I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality".?

Dr. King spoke to the Whites, some feeling alienated, sad, perhaps defensive and embarrassed.

"The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny... We cannot walk alone".

Other spectators might have been caught in the middle having suffered their own marginalization, segregation; perhaps hiding in broad daylight, or living in secret.

"No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream", Dr. King said.

"1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual."

Indeed it was the beginning of an era that is still in progress. Normalcy, Never Again.

Dr. King was in the eye of the storm; the heart of the civil rights movement. It was August 28th, 1963, and it was a massively large crowd he was addressing. It was the most critical civil rights demonstration in American history thus far. Americans for the first time just previously, witnessed the use of attack dogs and fire hoses against women and children protesters at segregated facilities in Birmingham, Alabama. It was televised, and not a pretty picture. Dr. King's peaceful demonstration tactics at the lunch-counter sit-ins in Nashville and Greensboro, N.C. resulted in violence from citizens and police time and time again.

This was the environment in which the crowd stood, listening to Dr. King.

It was a somber crowd that had come to hear a somber message. It is documented that probably, he sensed the mood of the crowd; some not with him; and others too much with him. He folded his papers spoke the ending ad lib. The monologue from "I have a dream" to "let freedom ring", was seemingly a last minute decision to sway the crowd; bring them back up again, more harmonious. He omitted the written ending. He was a man of peace.

In the face of the violence and oppression of the day; and in spite of Dr. King's ominous tone, he reminded them:

"In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred".

But he knew where we stood.

Dr. King and Andrew Young knew that without an economic base, the Black population will continue to fall behind in the race for wealth and posterity.

If Blacks and Hispanics represent 42 percent of the population in 2050 (assuming a U.S. population of 430 million) and their median household wealth remains as it is, then half of them will be fundamentally wealth-less, therefore unable to participate in the economy as anything but minimalist consumers. I think the phrase used by mainstream is "burden on society". It behooves us all to heed advice given 50 years ago; because not much has changed.

"I Have a Dream" and the ensuing words of hand holding and working together someday has always been good content to feed the masses. For years. 50 to be exact, and counting.

But I am a Black banker. That's different. I have to demand more than breaking bread at the table of brotherhood. I have to continue toiling as Dr. King intended; each doing what he / she can do to make this world more equitable; and remembering that until the check is cashed, there is work to be done. I am honored to have a place in Corporate America; the trust of my community and the trust of my company. I am still here. I am still trying to honor the struggle.

I see you, my comrades, a whole new generation; the new-new coming up with me; and behind me; some of you in front of me. And I'm excited. Your passion, and commitment social justice in all forms across ethnicities will make a difference in this world. The implementation of solid equity advances will require you all; a new generation of all bankers that execute with heart and soul.

Normalcy, Never Again. It's a good speech. Happy Birthday.

"Our lives begin and end when we stop speaking up about things that matter". Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.